The Little Girl and the Renegade
by beatingoutasamba
Summary: A collection of short Caskett one-shots inspired by the words of the day at dictionary dot com. Chapter 8 - "Beatitude." An adorable Christmas drabble. "Best Christmas gift ever."
1. Sylph

**"But what happens when that smart, sexy, sophisticated little girl gets lost in that ruggedly handsome renegade's eyes?"**

**~ Kate Beckett, _Castle_ season 4 promo "Advice from Castle"**

**This is a series of Caskett one-shots inspired by the words of the day at Dictionary(dot)com. One of my favorite fanfic authors, Tech Duinn, did a collection like this about Dean Winchester from _Supernatural_ and I liked the idea so much that I decided to start a collection of my own.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned _Castle_, the following ficlet would have been included in "Til Death Do Us Part".**

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><p>Sylph<p>

\ silf \ , noun;

1. A slender, graceful woman or girl.

2. (In folklore) one of a race of supernatural beings supposed to inhabit the air.

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><p>Castle sees Kate sneak out of the reception. No one else sees her slip out the glass door and into the night, but he does. He can't help but watch her all the time. It's like an addiction; he's been hooked since the first time he saw her four years ago.<p>

He sees her go outside onto the deck of the Central Park Boathouse, where Ryan and Jenny had taken their wedding photos a few hours earlier. She probably needs a break from the insanity of the day. It's peaceful out there in the dark with the stars for company. A good place to get away from life.

Setting down his champagne, he follows her at a safe distance, not wanting to alert her to his presence. The chilly New York winter hits him when he opens the door and he breathes in the fresh air.

Kate is now standing at the edge of the dock that overlooks "The Lake". A gust of wind blows her hair back and she shakes it out behind her. She seems so radiant and happy and... free.

Castle feels as if all of the oxygen in his body has disappeared. She takes his breath away. She's one of those classic beauties, like Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe. There's just something about the way she holds herself that makes him dizzy with infatuation. He tiptoes closer, hoping to get a better view of his muse.

Suddenly the moonlight hits her in such a way that it causes her to glow with an ethereal light that illuminates her soul. If he didn't know any better, he would think that she's an angel. But she is an angel, isn't she? Maybe not the "attendant of God" kind, but the other kind. The _human_ kind. She's the most perfect woman that he's ever met. Stunningly beautiful, incredibly smart, gracious, kind, generous... Angelic. Looking at her now, he realizes that there is no other word to describe Kate Beckett.

Jazz music filters through the air from the reception inside and mingles with the soft ripples in the water. She closes her eyes and starts to sway, letting herself get lost in the notes. Castle simply cannot hold out any longer. Giving into temptation, he approaches her quietly and then pulls her into his arms. She's startled at first, but when he twirls her around the dock, she lets out a lyrical laugh, which is quite literally music to his ears.

Kate puts her arms around his neck and he puts his arms around her slender waist. They don't speak; words would break the magic of the moment. They just smile at each other and dance the night away.

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><p><strong>I have a really good feeling about this collection, so be prepared for regular updates! I'm in a "regular updates" kind of mood. :)<strong>


	2. Agley

**Well, you knew this was coming - the cute Caskett wedding one-shot is here! Hopefully this will make all of your days a little brighter. :)**

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><p>Agley<p>

\ uh-GLEE \ , adjective;

1. Off the right line; awry; wrong.

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><p>Kate stands in front of the old-fashioned mirror. Her simple white dress flows out behind her, ringlets of hair frame her face, and she has just enough make-up on to look good in the photos. It's her wedding day. Today should be the happiest day of her life. It should be perfect. But it's not.<p>

Everything is going wrong. It started raining that morning, the florist brought peonies instead of stargazer lilies, she can't find her veil, the DJ has the wrong play-list, the caterer is late, the ring-bearer is sick... The list goes on.

She's not freaking out. Really, she's not. When Castle proposed a year ago, she promised herself that she wouldn't become a bridezilla. It's not in her nature to obsess over the little things. It's just... Now that the day is finally here, she can't help but obsess. Everything has to be perfect. She's been dreaming of this day since she was a little girl and reality just isn't measuring up to her expectations.

Just when her thoughts start to get away from her (_Maybe we should just call the whole thing off! It isn't worth the hassle. WHY DID I SAY YES?_), she hears three quick knocks at the door.

_Oh, for God's sake, what now?_

Gathering up her dress, she walks to the door and opens it to see Castle standing in the hallway holding coffee and roses. She would be mad at him – after all, a groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding – but he's wearing a blindfold. He can't see a thing.

"Delivery for the future Mrs. Kate Castle," he says in a thick French accent.

The gesture is so sweet and unexpected that all of her worries disappear into thin air and for the first time that day, she laughs. He always knows just what to say or do to make her feel better. She realizes now why she said "yes" a year ago – he knows her better than she knows herself.

Kate bites her lip and then pulls him into a deep kiss, surprising the blind-folded Castle so much that the coffee and roses slip from his hands. As she pulls at his lips with her teeth and feels his hands run along her exposed back, she notices that the spilled coffee is seeping into the beautiful embroidery at the bottom of her dress. She finds that she doesn't care.

Nothing can ruin this day for her now. She's marrying the man she loves. That's all that matters.

Besides, stains make great stories.

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><p>TWO YEARS LATER<p>

"Hey, remember that time you kissed me so hard that the coffee I was holding spilled all over your wedding dress and then everybody stared at the stain when you walked down the aisle?"

Kate smacks her husband on the arm and smirks.

"Hey, remember that time when I withheld sex for a month?"

"But, you never-"

She raises her eyebrows at him.

"Oh."

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><p><strong>This was fun to write! Gosh, I really hope we get to see them get married in the show... Not right now, of course, that would be weird, but if the show stays on for a few more years, they'd better at least get engaged! I really want to see how Andrew Marlowe would handle a Caskett wedding.<strong>


	3. Pleach

**According to Wikipedia, "a drabble is an extremely short work of fiction exactly one hundred words in length." This is one such drabble. :)**

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><p>Pleach<p>

\ pleech \ , verb;

1. To interweave branches or vines for a hedge or arbor.

2. To make or renew (a hedge, arbor, etc.) by such interweaving.

3. To braid (hair).

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><p>Last night was beautiful – a tangle of love and legs and sheets... The most perfect first time ever created between two people on Earth. And now, lying in bed beside him, reveling in the afterglow, Kate feels more alive than she's ever felt in her life. It's like she's a new person, like she was dying and Castle saved her. He weaves his leg between hers, pulling her closer. She smiles in contentment and presses a soft kiss to his lips. When his eyes sparkle up at her, she finds herself saying those three little words: "I love you."<p>

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><p><strong>I know this is a really short chapter, but I have a good reason. I'm working on a 20-chapter M-rated "friends with benefits" Caskett story. It's going to be extra smutty and extra fun, so keep a look out! The first chapter should be posted within a week.<strong>


	4. Apotropaic Cumshaw

**Apotropaic was the word for 4/8/12 and Cumshaw was the word for 4/9/12, so I just decided to combine them into one chapter. I think it works. :)**

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><p>Apotropaic<p>

\ ap-uh-truh-PEY-ik \ , adjective;

1. Intended to ward off evil.

Cumshaw

\ KUHM-shaw \ , noun;

1. A present; gratuity; tip.

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><p>When Castle tells her that he's been investigating her mother's murder without her, Kate is understandably shocked. After everything they've been through, the last thing she expects to hear is that he's been lying to her. She sits in silence, tears welling up in her eyes, as he explains about the mysterious phone calls and secret meetings. About how they'll come after her if she continues to look into the case. About how he lied to keep her safe...<p>

She should be mad. No, more than that, she should be furious. He lied to her. He touched her mom's case without her permission. Again! She should livid with a white hot rage. She should kick him out of her life forever.

But she can't.

He did all this to save her. How can she fault him for that? He loves her, she loves him, and if the roles were reversed, she knows that she would have done exactly the same thing.

If he hadn't come into her life four years ago, she would probably be dead now. She would have gone down that rabbit hole again and never recovered. He's an angel sent down from Heaven to save her from herself, and he's doing a damn good job.

Castle continues to ramble, justifying his actions, apologizing profusely, trying so hard to get her to understand when she already does. She understands why he lied and loves him even more for it. He'll always be there for her, no matter what.

To shut him up, Kate puts her hands on either side of his face and looks deep into his eyes. She leans forward, and in those few seconds just before their lips touch, she sees surprise flash across his face. She smiles and lets her eyes flutter shut, and then their lips meet. The kiss is soft and tender and perfect, conveying every emotion she can't convey with words.

He's her angel, and she's his. Always.

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><p><strong>Random, completely off-topic, personal AN – Tonight I had my first Statistics class of the quarter... My professor looks so much like David Tennant! It's amazing. :)**


	5. Caparison

**Because I'm falling behind, this is another 100-word drabble.**

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><p>Caparison<p>

\ kuh-PAR-uh-suhn \ , verb;

1. To dress richly; deck.

2. To cover with a caparison.

Noun:

1. A decorative covering for a horse or for the tack or harness of a horse; trappings.

2. Rich and sumptuous clothing or equipment.

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><p>When Kate comes into his loft wearing the gorgeous red dress that he sent her earlier, Castle's heart stops. He knows that the dress is beautiful (after all, he picked it out), but to see her wearing it... Wow. This must be one of those times where clothing causes feelings that might otherwise not be there... Like <em>love<em>. For the first time since they met, he thinks that he's falling for her. For now it might just be because of how she looks in formal wear, but he knows that if their partnership continues, it will turn into something real.

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><p><strong>In case some of you weren't able to tell, this drabble is set during 1x07 "Home is Where The Heart Stops".<strong>

**I apologize for the short chapter, but again, I have a very good reason. I hope you'll keep a look out for "Last Night Last", the extremely smutty story I'm writing where Castle and Beckett start a "friends with benefits" relationship. The first chapter should be posted soon. :)**


	6. Approbate

**I am working on a longer chapter which will be posted soon, but for now, here's another 100-word drabble because it's almost 4 AM and I'm tired...**

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><p>Approbate<p>

\ AP-ruh-beyt \ , verb;

1. To approve officially.

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><p>Kate walks into their apartment cradling her baby bump.<p>

"Guess what!"

Castle looks up from the couch and gasps as she enters the living room.

"You were abducted by aliens and the baby isn't mine? Oh my God, however will we deal with this crisis?"

She playfully slaps him on the arm and sits down next to him.

"Gates approved my maternity leave."

His face transforms into the epitome of joy.

"You mean, I get you all to myself for the next two months?"

"Yep."

He kisses her passionately.

"I think I know of a way to pass the time..."

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><p><strong>I'd like to encourage you all to take a little trip over to my profile. I finally posted the first chapter of "Last Night Last" - you know, that really smutty "friends with benefits" story I told you about. There isn't any smut in chapter 1, but I think you'll still enjoy it. :)<br>**


	7. Beatitude

**I wrote this adorable Christmas drabble in a comment on Facebook... My friend liked it so much that I felt compelled to post it! This is for you Mya. :)**

-o-o-o-o-o-

Beatitude

\ bee-AT-i-tood \ , noun;

1. Supreme blessedness; exalted happiness

2. Any of the declarations of blessedness pronounced by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

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><p>Wrapped in Castle's arms and surrounded by the ethereal glow of the yellow Christmas lights, Kate lifts her gaze to meet his. He gazes back at her intently, his blue eyes piercing her soul.<p>

It's Christmas Eve and everything is perfect.

He leans down to kiss her, but she stops him. A glimmer of fear passes across his features, but she just smiles softly at him, reassuring him that everything is fine. Running her hand through his hair, she pulls him close.

She rises to her tiptoes and whispers in his ear. "I love you."

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><p>As her sincere words fill every corner of his mind, his heart leaps with joy.<p>

Kate loves him!

His arms instinctively tighten around her, holding her as close as possible, breathing in her beautiful scent - a mix of roses and gingerbread. After a moment, he pulls back and puts his hands on her shoulders, centering her in front of him.

"Really?" he beams.

She looks down shyly, hair falling in front of her adorable smile.

"Really," she confirms. "I love you."

And with that, Castle pulls her in for a searing kiss, locking their lips together for what feels like eternity. When they finally break apart, he scoops her up in his arms in one quick motion and she giggles in delight. As he begins to walk toward his bedroom, he rubs small circles on her arm with his thumb.

"I love you, too," he murmurs. "Best Christmas gift ever."

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><p><strong>So technically I didn't base this drabble off of the word "beatitude"... I based it off of this picture: <strong>

** bit . ly / QucrBr**

**Just take out the spaces. :)  
><strong>


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